Lamp-chimney and holder.



C. W. F. WENDELL & T. MORTENSON.

LAMP CHIMNEY AND HOLDER. APPLICATION FILED MM. 7: 917.

1 246,688. Patentad Nov. 13, 1917.

lNVE-NTOR W A'rraRN EY UNITED STATES PATENT @FFICE.

CLARENCE W. F. WENDELL AND TILLIE MORTENSON, OF ROCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

' LAMP-CHIMNEY AND HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 13, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CLARENCE W. F. WENDELL and TILLIE MORTENSON, citizens of the United States, residing at Rochester, in the county of Strafford and State of New Hampshire, have invented new and useful Improvements in Lamp-Chimneys and Holders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to illumination, and more especially to chimney supports wherein the base of the chimney is modified, and by a slight adaptation of the invention it may be applied to the base of a shade, reflector, or globe.

The object of the invention is to produce a holder for the removable (and usually glass) portion of the ordinary household lamp, which embodies fastening means between the parts so that the removable ele ment is to a certain extent locked in place when held by the holder, and thereby reliably prevented from becoming dislodged although yet capable of being disconnected from the holder when it is desired.

Another object is to so construct the holder that the glass of the chimney will not be scratched.

Another object of the invention is to adapt the holder to a lamp shade or the like and to conceal the fastening means as far as possible.

Other objects will appear throughout the following specification and claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of a lamp chimney mounted on an ordinary burner and attached thereto by means of our improved holder.

Figs. 2, 3, at and 5 are enlarged vertical sections on the lines 2-8-4: and 5 respectively of Fig. 1, illustrating the exact configuration of the cam face at the points indicated and showing how the bill of the hook engages therewith.

Fig. 6 is a perspective detail of a modified form of hook, made of wire, which may be five views of used instead of that shown in the preceding views.

Flg. 7 is a side elevation of a lamp shade supported by this improved holder, broken away and removed from a portion of the foreground so as to show the rearmost connection in what might be called elevation.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional detail amplifying this type of our invention.

In the drawings we have used the letter F to designate the frangible element which, asherein shown, may be a lamp chimney of suitable size and shape or a lamp shade or globe, or even a hood or reflector; but almost invariably it is of frangible material such as glass or porcelain and is supported only from the body of the lamp itself, and generally from the burner. It is well known that one of the commonest accidents is the knocking off or dropping off of the lamp chimney, and it is the principal object of this invention to provide a holder which will reduce the liability of such accidents. Our invention is adapted to either the lamp chimney or the shade or globe as will be explained below, and the letter F may well refer to either or any of these frangible elements. Throughout the drawings we have also used the letter S to designate the support for said frangible element, the support being variously shown as a burner on whose base the chimney is directly mounted or as a ring carried by the burner or by some part of the lamp body and which ring in turn supports the shade or globe. This ring also carries arms A- of metal which in common practice contact with the frangible element and hold it to a certain degree in place, and we modify the shape of said element and the arms so that they interengage in a manner which will be explained.

Coming now to the present invention and referring first more particularly to the first the drawing, the upper end of each arm A is bent into a hook, the bend being rather gentle as indicated at 1 and the bill 2 of the hook inclined downward an inward or toward the axis of the chimney F.

of the hook formed We might say at this point that the structure shown in Fig. 6 is a modification only to the extent that the arm is made up of two strands of wire 3 which rise from the support S and are bent inward as at 4 and downward as at 5 and connected by a crossbar 6 which constitutes the tip of the bill of the hook; and in all other respects the following details will answer for this type of our invention as well as for that shown in Figs. 1 to 5.

There should be at least three of the arms A, although there may be four or five but usually not more, and the description is confined to but one of thei i and the correspond ing parts on the chimney F. The wall of the latter near its bottom is formed on its outer face with a segmental ledge 10 extending perhaps for seventy-five degrees around the chimney if there are four of the arms A so that the outer face shall be uninterrupted throughout upright paths 11 corresponding in number with the hook-shaped arms. The lower side of the ledge is e eled off on its outer face and fades away to nothing at the point 12 in Fig. where it merges into the periphery of the lower end of the chimney, but the upper side of the ledge is abrupt and constitutes a cam face 13 which may be inclined inward and downward from the point where this face unites with the periphery of the ledge in the corner 14, to the point where the cam face merges into or unites with the wall of the chimney, all as best seen in Fig. 4. Attention is here invited to the fact that the depth of this face, or its width radial to the chimney, as seen in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, is greater than the working length of the bill at the upper end of the the words working length we mean that if the arm should rise straight from the support and the bill should be bent at an angle thereto, the length of the bill would be less than the width of the cam face; but if the arm be given gradual bends as seen perhaps best in Fig. 2, an inward bend 15 of the arm would rest against the outer face of the chimney and an outer bond 16 thereof would carry the point 17 of union between the a m and the bill so far out-ward that the length of the bill would in reality be greater than its working length. However. for all practical purposes we may speak of the length of the bill as being less than the width of the cam face, and the object of this detail is to prevent the tip of the bill from touching the circumference of the arm. By

chimney at a point above the cam and marring the same.

At one end of each ledge it fades away as at 20 in thickness to nothing at the point 21 where it merges into the path 11, so that at this, the inlet end the ledge may be said to have no decided extremity; and throughout this portion of the ledge its upper or cam face descends toward the right and of course grows narrower and narrower until it fades away into nothing. At the point 23, which is perhaps two-thirds of the way from the path to the left end of the ledge, the latter has reached its maximum height, and from this point farther to the left the path descends slightly as seen at to its lowest point 25 which constitutes in effect a pocket to receiv the bill of the hook. Just to the left of this pocket occurs a stop which is in effect an upright lug molded or cast as part of the chimney and risin from the cam face along the outer wall of the chimney and fading away into nothing. This step occurs adjacent the next path 11 as till e clear.

With this construction of parts, when it is desired to mount the chimney F on the burner, the same is put in place as usual and borne downward, but care should be taken that the chimney is so disposed that the several paths 11 come opposite the bills of the hooks. These therefore travel upward as the chimn y moves downward, and their tips slide along the paths and past the points 21 until the lower end of the chimney strikes the support At this time the tip of each bill is slightly above the point 21 as seen in Fig. 1. hen now the chimney is to tated in the proper direction the ledge moves with respect to the bill, or perhaps it would be more easily understood if we say that the bill moves to the left with respect to the ledge. Its tip passes first over the narrowest and lowest point of the cam face 22, and somewhere up the incline it will contact with such face when the tip of the bill will be sprung upward a little; continued movement permits the bill to travel down the descent 24 and its tip now springs down- Ward .1 little; and finally it comes to rest within the pocket and against the stop 26, which latter prevents further relative rotation of parts. As so held on the support, it is almost impossible for the chimney F to become dislodged. To knock it off the sup port it must be given such so forcibly out of its proper strain at least bills out of their position within their respectire pockets, and as these bills stand substantially acute to the arms A this would be well-nigh impossible. To disconnect or unlock the chimney from the hooks, a reverse relative rotation is necessary, and if it be remembered that the chimney is hot at this time it will be clear that such rotation would hardly be likely to occur unless the chimney is grasped by an adult or by one well knowing the use of a lamp, and turned to the left purposely. This action causes the tip of each bill to retract its movement as position as to one and possibly two of the blow .or tilted above described, and travel first over the maximum high point 23, and then along the cam face to the point 21 where it drops into the path 11, after which the chimney can be raised vertically and removed.

The remaining views of the drawings show our invention as applied to a lamp shade or globe which in this case is the frangible element F. Ihe support here is a ring S which surrounds or is carried by the burner or the lamp body in some way, and arms A radiate from said support rather than rising from it as in the first views, and preferably have hooks H at their outer ends upturned and inclosing the lower edge or base of the shade F and visible from the outer side thereof as usual. Secured to or preferably fast on the body of the element F at its lower edge or base, and projecting from it is a series of ledges 32 each correspending with one of those described with respect to the lamp chimney. WVithout repeating details, we might say that this ledge has a cam face 33 pitched toward the glass or porcelain of the shade and beginning practically at nothing at the point 31, rising to a high or maximum point 3 f, then descending into a pocket 35, and terminating in an upright stop 36 which closes one end of the pocket; and each arm is formed adjacent its hook H with a second hook 37 whose bill is shaped to travel along said cam face as the frangible member F is rotated with respect to the lamp. By turning the member in one direction the shade is fastened on the support, and by turning it in the opposite direction it is unfastened and may be lifted off. We might say here that while we prefer to form these ledges on the inner face of the shade or globe, they could be on the outer face if desired.

What is claimed as new is 1. In a holder for lamp chimneys and the like, the combination with a support, resilient arms projecting from said support, and hooks carried by the arms; of ledges carried by the frangible element and spaced to provide paths between them corresponding with the disposition of said hooks, each ledge having a cam face rising as it recedes from its respective path to a maximum point and then descending into a pocket, and a stop at the remote end of said pocket.

2-. In a holder for lamp chimneys and the like, the combination with a support, arms projecting from said support, and hooks carried by the arms; of a series of segmental ledges formed around the frangible element and spaced from each other to provide upright paths corresponding with the position of said hooks, each ledge growing thicker from its lower edge upward and its upper edge having an abrupt face constituting a cam, the latter being sufficiently high at one point in its length to strain the bill of the hook when the lower end of said element contacts with the support and the cam face descending and the ledge growing thinner from said point toward the path at the entrant end of thisledge.

3. In a holder for lamp chimneys and the like, the combination with a support, a plurality of upright arms rising therefrom, and a hook at the upper extremity of each arm comprising a bill bent at an acute angle to a vertical; of segmental cams formed on the frangible element and spaced from each other to provide intervening paths corresponding with the position of said hooks, each cam face rising from a point adjacent its path and being pitched to correspond with the oblique disposition of the hook-bill.

4. In a holder for lamp chimneys and the like, the combination with a support, a plurality of upright arms rising therefrom, and a hook at the upper extremity of each arm comprising a bill bent at an acute angle to a vertical; of segmental ledges formed around the frangible element and spaced from each other to provide intervening paths corresponding with the position of said hooks, the upper edge of eachledge constituting a cam face pitched tocorrespond with the inclination of the hook-bill and wider than the working length of said bill, the ledge growing thinner and the cam face growing narrower and descending toward the inlet at its respective path.

5. In a holder for lamp chimneys and the like, the combination with a support, a plurality of upright arms rising therefrom, and a hook at the upper extremity of each arm; of segmental ledges formed around the chimney near its base and spaced from each other to provide intervening paths corresponding with the position of the hooks, the upper edge of each ledge constituting a cam face wider than the working length of the bill of said hook, the ledge growing thinner and the cam face growing narrower and descending toward the inlet at its respective path.

6. In a holder for frangible elements, the combination with a support adapted to be connected with a burner, a series of arms radiating therefrom and having hooks at their outer ends, and supplemental hooks adjacent the others; of ledges formed on one face of the base of the element at intervals spaced to correspond with said arms, each ledge having at its upper edge a cam face rising from nothing at one end of the ledge to a maximum point and then descending toward the other end of the ledge, and a stop adjacent the last-named end, for the purpose set forth.

7 In a holder for lamp shades and the like, the combination with -a supporting Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the mum point and thendescending toward the 19 other end of the ledge, and a stop adjacent the last-named end, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof We afiix our signatures.

CLARENCE W. F. WEN DELL. TILLIE MORTEN SON.

Commissioner of ratentl,

Washington, 1L0. 

